Sodium intake attributed to fast food is increasing globally. This research aims to develop maximum sodium reduction targets for New Zealand (NZ) fast foods and compare them with the current sodium content of products. Sodium content and serving size data were sourced from an existing database of major NZ fast-food chains. Target development followed a step-by-step process, informed by international targets and serving sizes, and previous methods for packaged supermarket foods. Sodium reduction targets were set per 100 g and serving, using a 40% reduction in the mean sodium content or the value met by 35–45% of products. Thirty-four per cent (1797/5246) of products in the database had sodium data available for target development. Sodium reduction targets were developed for 17 fast-food categories. Per 100 g targets ranged from 158 mg for ‘Other salads’ to 665 mg for ‘Mayonnaise and dressings’. Per serving targets ranged from 118 mg for ‘Sauce’ to 1270 mg for ‘Burgers with cured meat’. The largest difference between the current mean sodium content and corresponding target was for ‘Other salads’ and ‘Grilled Chicken’ (both –40% per 100g) and ‘Fries and potato products’ (–45% per serving), and the smallest, ‘Pizza with cured meat toppings’ (–3% per 100 g) and ‘Pies, tarts, sausage rolls and quiches’ (–4% per serving). The results indicate the display of nutrition information should be mandated and there is considerable room for sodium reduction in NZ fast foods. The methods described provide a model for other countries to develop country-specific, fast-food sodium reduction targets.

Exposure to maternal depressive symptoms (MDS) may have a pertinent role in shaping children’s emotional development. However, little is known about how these processes emerge in the early postpartum period. The current study examined the direct and interactive associations between MDS and cry-processing cognitions in the prediction of infant negative emotionality and affective concern. Participants were 130 mother-child dyads (50% female) assessed at three time points. During the second trimester of pregnancy, expectant mothers completed a procedure to assess responses to video clips of distressed infants and reported about MDS. Mothers also reported about MDS at 1- and 3-months postpartum. At age 3 months, infants’ negative emotionality and affective concern responses were observed and rated. We found no direct associations between MDS and both measures of infant emotional reactivity. However, MDS interacted with cry-processing cognitions to predict affective concern and negative emotionality. Overall, MDS were related to increased affective concern and decreased negative emotionality when mothers held cognitions that were more focused on their own emotions in the face of the infant’s cry rather than the infant’s emotional state and needs. Clinical implications for early screening and intervention are discussed.

Following the contemporary debate surrounding two alternative perspectives on compliance – enforcement and management – this article suggests an analysis through the lens of the rule of law crisis. Specifically, the financial and techno-managerial strategy developed by the EU for the indirect protection of the rule of law relies on mechanisms that combine characteristics from both the enforcement and management approaches. This article will identify these mechanisms, namely the European Semester, the Conditionality regulation, the European Structural Investment Funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility, in order to determine their nature, features, and tools for ensuring compliance with the rule of law. The hypothesis of this article relies on the idea that the EU’s tools are characterised by a mismatch between the causes of the identified problems and the chosen solutions. Considering that the deployment of the above measures has not re-established compliance, the EU strategy toes between inducing rule conformity on the one hand and deterring rule of law violations on the other. However, it seems that only the former can restore the rule of law, as the latter is considered ill-equipped to reverse or at least halt instances of backsliding. This mismatch explains why the Justice Scoreboard, the Framework, and the Review Cycle with its Annual Report have not made any difference, and more generally, why management strategies are unfit for dealing with deliberate backsliding.1

This study was conducted to provide empirical evidence of geographical variations of neonatal mortality and its associated social determinants with a view to improving neonatal survival at the subnational level in Nigeria. With a combination of spatial analysis and artificial intelligence techniques, this study analysed data from the 2016/2017 Nigeria Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. The analysis focused on the neonatal period of a weighted national representative population of 30,924 live births delivered five years before the survey commencement. Global Moran’s I index and local indicator of spatial autocorrelation cluster maps were used to determine hot and cold spots. A multilayer perceptron neural network was used to identify the key determinants of neonatal mortality across the states and geopolitical zones in Nigeria. The overall neonatal mortality rate was 38 deaths per 1000 live births. There is evidence of geographic clustering of neonatal mortality across Nigeria (worse in the North-Central and North-West zones), majorly driven by poor maternal access to mass media (which plays a critical role in promoting positive health behaviours), short birth interval, a higher position in a family birth order, and young maternal age at child’s birth. This study highlights the need for a policy shift towards implementing state and region-specific strategies in Nigeria. Gender-responsive, culturally, and regionally appropriate reproductive, maternal, and child health-targeted interventions may address geographical inequity in neonatal survival.

ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (d. 40/661)—a revered figure in Islamic history as both the first Shiʿi imam and the fourth caliph—serves as a significant image of sacral power in the Persianate world and beyond. ʿAlī's authority underwent a profound reimagining in the early modern era as he emerged as a captivating imperial emblem from the Timurid renaissance to the Safavid revolution, rivalling other prominent figures of political authority such as Chinggis Khan (d. 1227), and becoming a symbol of human perfection for both Sunni and Shiʿi intellectuals alike. ʿAlī transcended his role as a Shiʿi imam to assume the status of a cosmic figure, gradually becoming an ideal symbol for imperial branding. However, there is little scholarly knowledge and appreciation of his changing role in this period. This article examines how al-Ḥāfiẓ Rajab al-Bursī's (d. circa 814/1411) Mashāriq al-anwār, which has remained highly popular throughout the Persianate and Shiʿi world, contributed to the reshaping of ʿAlī's image, portraying him as the quintessential archetype of sacral power and unmatched authoritative feats.

In Africa, rangeland ecosystems have been exploited due to heavy and unsustainable grazing. Policy and institutional mechanisms such as integrating silvopastoral systems with sustainable grazing practices have been devised to mitigate the negative effects. In this study, we investigated whether the uptake of sustainable grazing management in the form of controlled grazing spurs investment in multipurpose trees (MPTs) and enhances income. Using instrumental variable regression, we find that controlled grazing increases not only the propensity to plant MPTs but also the number of tree species. More importantly, IV and treatment effect results indicate that controlled grazing enhances income from MPTs.

The University of California (UC) Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center has established the “Join the Team” model, a Clinical Research Coordinator workforce pipeline utilizing a community-based approach. The model has been extensively tested at UC Davis and demonstrated to generate a viable pathway for qualified candidates for employment in clinical research. The model combines the following elements: community outreach; professional training materials created by the Association for Clinical Research Professionals and adapted to the local environment; financial support to trainees to encourage ethnic and socioeconomic diversity; and internship/shadowing opportunities. The program is tailored for academic medical centers (AMCs) in recognition of administrative barriers specific to AMCs. UC Davis’s model can be replicated at other locations using information in this article, such as key program features and barriers faced and surmounted. We also discuss innovative theories for future program iterations.

This study investigates an ancestral Biodesign technique associated with the fruits of the Amazonian tree Crescentia cujete. For centuries, Amazonian artisans have transformed these fruits into objects named cuias, which serve mainly as containers. Despite the continued practice of cuias production, a specific shaping technique discovered in historical accounts remains unknown and unused by contemporary artisans. The paper reports the recreation of this technique considering the ancestral ethos underpinning these traditions. A mixed-method approach has combined historical and museum research, direct interaction with trees in a bioeconomy context, and participatory observation of traditional artisans’ production. The findings reveal the ancient practice of “Growing Design” with that tree and other practices that resonate with Biodesign, establishing a connection between this field and indigenous knowledge. This study highlights the underappreciation of indigenous objects and techniques, emphasizing the potential that emerges from understanding the alignment of certain ancestral wisdom with Biodesign principles, such as amplifying indigenous heritage and opening new possibilities in design.

The aims of this study were to evaluate the doxorubicin concentration that induces toxic effects on in vitro culture of isolated mouse secondary follicles and to investigate whether resveratrol can inhibit or reduce this toxicity. Secondary follicles were isolated and cultured for 12 days in control medium (α-MEM+) or in α-MEM+ supplemented with doxorubicin (0.1 µg/ml) or different concentrations of resveratrol (0.5, 2, or 5 µM) associated with doxorubicin (0.1 µg/ml) (experiment 1). For experiment 2, follicles were cultured in α-MEM+ alone or supplemented with doxorubicin (0.3 µg/ml) or different concentrations of resveratrol (5 or 10 µM) associated or not with doxorubicin (0.3 µg/ml) (experiment 2). The endpoints analyzed were morphology (survival), antrum formation, follicular diameter, mitochondrial activity, glutathione (GSH) levels and DNA fragmentation. In the first experiment, doxorubicin (0.1 µg/ml) maintained survival and antrum formation similar to the control, while 5 µM resveratrol showed increased parameters, maintained mitochondrial activity and increased GSH levels compared to the control. In the second experiment, doxorubicin (0.3 µg/ml) reduced survival, antrum formation and follicular diameter compared to the control. Resveratrol at a concentration of 10 µM attenuated the damage caused by doxorubicin by improving follicular survival and did not present DNA fragmentation. In conclusion, supplementation of the in vitro culture medium with 0.3 µg/ml doxorubicin reduced the survival and impaired the development of mouse-isolated preantral follicles. Resveratrol at 10 µM reduced doxorubicin-induced follicular atresia, without DNA fragmentation in the follicles.

This paper investigates the nexus between per capita income convergence and political institutions within the Eurozone. Employing data spanning the years 2002–2019, the research initially identifies multiple convergence clusters and subsequently examines the relationship between the creation of these clusters and different aspects of political institutions. The findings reveal that there are multiple steady states in the Eurozone, and their formation is notably influenced by political institutions alongside other conventional economic determinants derived from the Solow model. Furthermore, the study underscores that improvements in regulatory quality, as well as in aspects such as democracy, government effectiveness, and corruption control, positively impact income convergence across all member countries. These findings carry significant policy implications.

This article explores the promises and pitfalls of the colonial archives for the study of seeing and knowing contemporary violence. As an ethnographic field and a site of decolonial struggles, the colonial archive is increasingly mobilised in scholarship that seeks to historicise and disrupt conventional, Western-centric knowledge production. While using the colonial archives might reproduce asymmetrical power relations, they also hold the potential to unsettle the ‘toxic imperial debris’ of our time. How can the colonial archives challenge the post-colonial politics of erasing imperial violence and contribute to decolonial futures? Drawing on research in the African Archives in Belgium and fieldwork in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), this paper complicates problematic portrayals of the post-colonial state in the DRC and Congolese women as always already violated or silenced. We argue that the logics of the African Archives reveal a set of destabilising state anxieties that reflect the duality and instability of colonial rule itself and that infuse contemporary (international) politics. This recounting of the violence contained in the archives both narrates the concrete, violent manifestations of our ‘global coloniality’ and works towards its own demise as part of a broader ‘anticolonial archive’.

Waves are formed on the surface of a sessile drop driven through substrate vibrations oriented at a slanting angle from the normal. A mathematical model is derived, which leads to an infinite system of coupled Mathieu equations governing the wave dynamics that are solved using Floquet theory. The spatial structure of the waves is described by the mode number pair $[\ell,m]$, where $\ell$ and $m$ are the polar and azimuthal mode numbers, respectively. Limiting cases corresponding to horizontal and vertical vibrations are discussed with predictions agreeing well with prior literature. We focus our results on three drop motions – (1) harmonic $[1,1]$ rocking mode, (2) harmonic $[2,0]$ pumping mode, and (3) subharmonic rocking $[1,1]$ mode – as they depend upon the slanting angle, static contact angle, and contact-line conditions, which we assume to be either pinned or freely moving with fixed contact angle. New theoretical predictions are tested through experiments over a range of parameters, showing good agreement.

Settler-colonial futurity and colonial onto-epistemology are embedded across mainstream Australian public education institutions and schooling. While Country is central to Indigenous being, knowledges and pedagogy, Australian public and school education and curricula regularly fail to engage with Country and place in its historical, political, institutional, more-than-human, and relational dimensions. This paper investigates how colonial discourse and narratives permeate public and schooling education resources about mining and the Australian gold rush, including those presented in local Victorian gold rush museums. These support an influential story of Australia’s past/present that erases First Nations1 custodial relations with Country, strengthens settler-colonial futurity and celebrates and legitimises its colonising and extractive relations between people, Country, and ecologies. The paper presents an argument for attending to critical, relational geopolitics in education and environmental education to destabilise and shift these ways of understanding. It considers opportunities and challenges presented by Australian curricula in terms of their capacity to develop geopolitical understandings of past/present/future social and ecological in/justice, and to support new political understandings and sense of connection and belonging with Country.

Regulation is nothing without enforcement. This particularly holds for the dynamic field of emerging technologies. Hence, this article has two ambitions. First, it explains how the EU’s new Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) may be implemented and enforced by various institutional bodies, thus clarifying the governance framework of the AIA. Second, it proposes a normative governance model, providing recommendations to ensure uniform and coordinated execution of the AIA and the fulfillment of the legislation. The article explores how the AIA may be implemented by national and EU institutional bodies, encompassing longstanding bodies, such as the European Commission, and those newly established under the AIA, such as the AI Office. It investigates their roles across supranational and national levels, emphasising how EU regulations influence institutional structures and operations. These regulations may not only directly dictate the structural design of institutions but also indirectly request administrative capacities needed to enforce the AIA.

We take another look at the construction by Hofmann and Streicher of a universe $(U,{\mathcal{E}l})$ for the interpretation of Martin-Löf type theory in a presheaf category $[{{{\mathbb{C}}}^{\textrm{op}}},\textsf{Set}]$. It turns out that $(U,{\mathcal{E}l})$ can be described as the nerve of the classifier $\dot{{\textsf{Set}}}^{\textsf{op}} \rightarrow{{\textsf{Set}}}^{\textsf{op}}$ for discrete fibrations in $\textsf{Cat}$, where the nerve functor is right adjoint to the so-called “Grothendieck construction” taking a presheaf $P :{{{\mathbb{C}}}^{\textrm{op}}}\rightarrow{\textsf{Set}}$ to its category of elements $\int _{\mathbb{C}} P$. We also consider change of base for such universes, as well as universes of structured families, such as fibrations.

Avoidable disasters are both saddening and baffling. In 2022, 159 people, mostly in their 20s, and 30s were crushed to death in Itaewon’s narrow alleyway amid South Korea’s first pandemic-restrictions-free Halloween celebration. What is particularly sobering about this tragedy is that although many people called police hotlines as crowds became cramped and static, their calls went unheeded for hours. Rather than order independent investigations into the catastrophe (as of January 2024), the President of South Korea at the time focused on superficial issues such as asking the public to refer to the disaster as an “accident” (which it was not, it was an avoidable disaster) and the casualties as “the dead” (who are casualties indeed, instead of victims of a preventable tragedy). In this paper, we examine how officials’ complacency about public health and safety dangers, ineffective disaster prevention, and preparedness systems, as well as the government’s chronic lack of prioritization of public health and safety may have contributed to the disaster. Furthermore, we discuss the importance of creating integrated public health and safety protection systems to prevent similar tragedies from happening.

In the absence of large-scale coherent structures, a widely used statistical theory of two-dimensional turbulence developed by Kraichnan, Leith, and Batchelor (KLB) predicts a power-law scaling for the energy, $E(k)\propto k^\alpha$ with an integral exponent $\alpha ={-3}$, in the inertial range associated with the direct cascade. A power-law scaling is also observed in the presence of coherent structures, but the scaling exponent becomes fractal and often differs substantially from the value predicted by the KLB theory. Here we present a dynamical theory that sheds new light on the relationship between the spatial and temporal structure of the large-scale flow and the scaling of small-scale structures representing filamentary vorticity. Specifically, we find hyperbolic regions of the large-scale flow to play a key role in the flux of enstrophy between scales. Small-scale vorticity in these regions can be described by dynamically self-similar solutions of the Euler equation, which explains the power-law scaling. Furthermore, we find that correlations between different hyperbolic regions are responsible for the emergence of fractal scaling exponents.

Since the so-called war on drugs began in Mexico in 2006, the military has been the leading actor in charge of the government’s public security policy, undertaking tasks that should be carried out by the police. Analyses of this security strategy are based on quantitative methods and have focused on its results: e.g., an increase in the homicide rate or the committing of human rights violations. In contrast, based on in-depth interviews, this article explores the testimony of military personnel to understand what they experience in the field. Contrary to what the existing literature argues, which maintains that the military acts with a logic of war, this article shows that the situation is far more complex: they act in a scenario characterized by improvisation, facing the dilemma between acting and being accused of human rights or not acting and being accused of disobedience.